How many times have we left a power-packed worship service excited and ready to take on the world, just to realize that we don’t remember the message or scripture of the hour? We were so "blessed" by the service that we were ready to tell everyone and anyone who asked “how was church?” that God had showed up and showed out! Yet, when the challenges, disappointments, and worries came upon us, we found ourselves still weak, still struggling, and still unable to demonstrate the power of Christ as overcomers! If we’re not listening, we’re not learning! If we’re not learning, we’re not growing! If we’re not growing, then we’re not being transformed. If we’re not being transformed into the image of Christ, then we will not walk in the victory Jesus has already won for us!
The Word of God is not an entertainment tool to keep us spellbound to the messenger and the message. It is our life! We must know it to live.
In Mark 4:9, Jesus said “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” (KJV). Prior to saying this Jesus gave the parable of the sower and talked about how seeds (representing the Word of God) fell on four types of ground (representing the heart of man). These types of ground included:
Wayside Ground: When we hear the Word, don't hold it dear, and the enemy takes it away.
Stony Ground: When we hear the Word but don't let it take root so when trials come we forget it.
Thorny Ground: When we focus on the cares of this world losing sight of God's Word and power and it gets choked out and smothered.
Good Ground: When the Word of God takes root and brings forth fruit 30, 60, and 100 in our lives and we live victoriously.
If we find ourselves always at the same place, doing the same things, struggling with the same struggles, we may want to check “our ground.”
Because of all the distractions in the world and the bite-sized information we’ve grown accustomed to receiving, we’ve allowed ourselves to limit our attention span to just seconds (or the span of a tweet). Then we make it the responsibility of God’s messenger to make us want to hear more.
To guard against being an AWOL Churchgoer, let us commit to the following:
1) Establish in our hearts and minds that the Word of God is life in addition to being a path to righteousness and a road-map to heaven. We need the Word of God in order to survive, thrive, and be all that God intended for us to be! We have to know and understand the scriptures because they fuel our faith which is needed to please God and access our blessings and destiny. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God,” (Hebrews 11:6) and “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
2) Expect to receive a “Word” from the message that will breathe life into a situation that’s withering, or help us bring death to a behavior that’s blocking our growth in God. Attendance at a worship service is a divine privilege not a simple Sunday morning activity. In Jeremiah 3:15, God said, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” In order for us to have knowledge and understanding, we have to be willing to “eat” what God is “feeding” us through His messengers.
3) Embrace the transformation that comes with having a heart that is “good ground.” We have to be willing to let the Word of God take root in our lives and be the foundation upon which all of our decisions, behaviors, and expectations are based. Unless we’re willing to let the Word of God transform us, we cannot expect to look like Christ or partake in the power He has made available to us as heirs.
Challenge: This week when we attend a worship service or bible study, let’s go with the knowledge that God’s Word is life unto us and we need it to survive, thrive, and become all that He intended for us. We need the Word of God to deal with all the craziness of this world, but we have to know it, understand it, apply it, and live it!